Mobile Suit Gundam: Naruto
by Necrokinesis
Summary: Over a hundred years have passed since Earth began moving its burgeoning population into gigantic, orbiting, space colonies. A new home for mankind, where people are born, raised and die. A war between the Earth Confederacy and the Union of Space Republics ravages the Earth Sphere. Lieutenant Namikaze and the 7th SHINOBI Team are pitted against the Union's top ace, Hustler One.


BRING! BRING!

General Hiruzen Sarutobi (ret) was in his study enjoying a bit of night time reading. His carefully crafted peace, fueled by a warm fireplace and a full tobacco pipe, was in shambles. He glanced at the clock, 23:04.

"Hello?" he asked from behind his tobacco pipe.

"General Sarutobi?"

"Retired, but yes?" He tapped the tobacco pipe on the ash tray and picked up a pinch of tobacco from next to the turn dial phone. There was a long pause that General Sarutobi (ret) took to pack the tobacco down and light a match. A thick stream of smoke was blown into the receiver as he settled back into his chair.

"This line isn't secure. However, you should be receiving a guest shortly. He will explain."

The phone went dead.

**_Sarutobi Estate, Japanese Archipelago, Earth_**

**_0204 Zulu, 10 October, 0093 E.C._**

Hiruzen's forehead crinkled. He glanced over at the line of diplomas on his wall. The highest one had the pendent of the Chairman of the Alliance Joint Military Council on it. The rest of the wall was filled with shadow boxes and various medals from around the world. From the picture of a smiling young man with a bare chest dated '0058' to the now wizened old man with a chest full medal ordering around other wizened old men with chest full medals but wearing different uniforms, marked '0092.' He rubbed his chin as he sucked in another bit of tobacco, "Damn kids, who the hell prank calls anymore?"

Hiruzen heard it before he was able to find his last line in the book: the distinct rumble of a drop ship coming out of the clouds. Glaring at the rows of book on the wall in front of him, he sighed. He marked his place and took his cup of tea in both hands. The crackling logs of the fireplace waved uncertainly in the snap of cold air that was shoved down the chimney. Hiruzen stared at the distinct pattern and balanced the book on his lap. There was a knock on his door of his study.

"Sir?" came the inquiry of a house servant. He put his book on the small reading table and stood up. The woman bowed deeply, "There's a lieutenant here to see you sir."

Hiruzen nodded and tied his sleeping robe. The maid fell in step as the retired officer walked to his front door. He stepped outside into the cool air as the serviceman jogged up. It was an aircraftman with butter bars on his lapels. His dark light-dress uniform was in bad need of adjusting but Hiruzen made no comment other than a distasteful look. The dropship had settled itself on the landing pad far from the house. A soldier was standing on the loading ramp with his arms crossed and helmet still over his head. Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at the grass being kicked up by the still functioning jet engines. Some of his horses stampeded past the white fence with wide eyes and desperate for the other end of the pasture. General Sarutobi (ret) let out a long drag of smoke.

The lieutenant saluted. Hiruzen took one last puff of his pipe before returning it, "Can I help you Lieutenant. It must be urgent for you to disrupt my peace in the middle of the night."

The Lieutenant's mouth floundered for a mere second, "M-my apologies sir. It is, however, exceptionally urgent. There was an explosion. The Federal Council has requested your presence."

Hiruzen chewed on his pipe then turned swiftly on his heels and marched into his house. The officer, feeling exceptionally awkward and star struck, simply stood on the stoop. The house maid watched her employer march up the stairs then turned to the young officer, "You may come in."

The Lieutenant blushed and stepped into the house. He naturally fell into a rigid attention. Hiruzen appeared at the top of the stairs and beckoned the young officer up, "Follow me and tell me everything you know."

The Lieutenant swallowed, "Yes sir."

The officer took two steps at a time to catch the older gentleman but was stopped at the master bedroom door with a single gesture. He wasted no time in delivering his message, "Sir, at 2100 Zulu, several explosions occurred at an experimental reactor in Konoha Colony. Yang type radiation has quickly engulfed both cylinders and is starting to spread to the other colonies of Side-04. Casualties are quickly adding up sir."

On the other side, Hiruzen was quickly dressing in a presentable suit and tie. Running a smoothing hand over his relaxed waistband, he smiled and glanced at the picture on his dresser. It was him and a grey haired woman dressed in workout clothes and drenched in sweat atop a mountain. The woman was patting him on the back as the Hiruzen in the picture bent over gasping for air. Hiruzen retrieved his wallet from the dresser then stopped, "Where's Namikaze, why has the Council requested me?"

The Lieutenant cleared his throat but still floundered, "Chairman Namikaze was inspecting the colony as part of a scheduled trip. We have received no word about the delegation. I do not know sir. I was on dru… public relations duty at Atsugi when I was ordered to pick you up."

Hiruzen stopped pulling his jacket on for a moment. He adjusted his tie and closed his eyes as the jacket went over his shoulders. When he opened them again, the old edge was back.

The lieutenant readjusted his stance, "Reports are saying that it's a Kyuubi level event."

There was silence.

The Lieutenant waited for the General to respond but nothing came. "Sir…"

General Sarutobi (ret) nearly knocked him down as he brushed past, "Follow me."

The Lieutenant leaned back as the older man blew past then scrambled to follow after the General (ret). He had been intimidating before but now the ragged junior officer was a completely blown away by the aura of command the former Chairman could generate. As The General (ret) disappeared down the stairs, the Lieutenant scrambled to follow him. Two house servants were standing at attention in the foyer. Sarutobi issued a brisk order, "Call my wife and take care of the house. I'll be in touch."

The maids nodded in unison, the Lieutenant managed to give them a passing farewell. The General (ret) strode across his lawn towards the waiting Pelican with the junior officer still trying to get his hat on straight. The helmeted Sergeant stiffened considerably at his approach. Even as the Lieutenant ran after him and flinched ay the jet blast, Hiruzen strode forward with only hand to keep his tie in place betraying he was in anything other than a light wind. The NCO gave him a brisk salute which Sarutobi acknowledged. He turned to the Lieutenant at the foot of the loading ramp, "How far to a communications network?"

The Lieutenant fought to keep his cover from flying off in the jet blast but still managed to answer, "It's only a few minutes away; we'll be in the air shortly."

General Sarutobi (ret?) nodded and took a seat. As the ramp closed Sarutobi watched his estate fade away into the night.

XXX

**_Mobile Suit Gundam: Naruto _**

XXX

"In the ninety-third year of the Elemental Century an event occurred that would change the Earth Sphere forever. Humanity had finally begun to move to the stars in gigantic colonies arranged around Earth. Even Mars had been reached and the rest of the galaxy seemed to be close at hand. However, a tragedy struck. The reactor in Konoha Colony went prompt-critical for unknown reasons and began to spread lethal yang-radiation over half of side-04. 170 million lives were lost before Alliance Earth Space Forces containment protocols were activated. Spurred by the revelation that the Alliance had allowed highly dangerous tests within inhabited space, the colonies erupted into violence and protests. The next year, the ninety-fourth year of the Elemental Century, the entirety of Side-03 declared their independence and withdrew from the Alliance. For the next five years, the various states of the Alliance tolerated the new Independent nation but refused to open trade channels without severe repercussions."

The television channel changed to a crowded beach. A woman ran by clad only in a bikini and the logo of 'New Konoha' faded into the scene, "situated on the far side of the earth, New Konoha colony is the pride of the side-07 cluster. Boasting white beaches and the balmy weather, New Konoha is synonymous with vacation."

A diagram of the Earth Sphere was pulled up with side-07 clearly labelled on the left of the screen. The Earth was in the center with the moon and the other sides all shown on the right, "Far from the fighting. The atrocities of the war are but a distant thought in L3. New Konoha is the safest location in the Earth Sph…"

The television clicked off.

**_1127Z, 6 December, 113 E.C._**

**_New Konoha Colony II, Side-07, L3_**

Naruto Namikaze threw the remote on the lumpy bed of his hotel room. In the black reflection, he ran a hand through what was left of his hair and made sure he wasn't butt ugly. What stared back at him was a young man. His skin was still slightly inflamed and blond hair just barely touched his ears. He ran a hand over the six faint scars across his cheeks. Satisfied with his looks, he started sifting through his travel bag for clothes. The massive bag was as wide as the bed and almost half as high. He dug further into his bag past the Everyman's Welfare shirt he had thrown on top of everything else. Finally, he found enough for an outfit but not before he found the brown uniform crammed at the bottom. Naruto glared at it and it was soon reburied under his civilian clothes. He put on an orange t-shirt, tan shorts; he hesitated as he stared at his flip-flops.

"Pfft, thongs." He laughed and slid them on.

Staring into the mirror hanging on the back of the bathroom mirror, he ran a soothing hand over his waist then stopped. He smiled and stared at himself in the mirror, he shook his head

His phone vibrated on the counter of the bathroom. He walked over and unfolded the flexi-screen from its default shape. Weathered from age the screen was slightly fogged and the edges peeled Front and center was his calendar app. It was a notification for an event over a week away, 'Report to Base.' He rolled his eyes and closed the app revealing a background of rock garden, he snapped it around his wrist. Naruto opened his door to the sounds of kids splashing in the pool below. What drew his ire however, was the massive golden statue of a space colony outside his motel room and perched high on a hill. He could still see the inscription, 'Dedicated to Konoha Colony, may no more clouds darken your name' from his visit the other day. Naruto's gaze drifted to the backdrop of the monument, the other 'pane' of the colony. Without a cloud in the 'sky,' Naruto could make out the clear beaches, theme parks and shopping districts that seemed to float on the side of the colony. He rubbed his forehead and let the door close behind him.

He left the cramped poolside of his motel and started strolling down the street. Automatic electric cars zipped past with bikini clad women laughing jovially, families smiling, or the occasional drunken twenty something hanging off the side. One entrepreneurial family had all three. Naruto followed the signs pointing to the tram and took in the balmy 30 C degree weather. All around him, families and couples smiled and carried on without a care in the world.

Naruto looked up at a worker working his roller on the side of a hotel. Music was blaring in his ears and the New Konoha logo was plastered on his overall. He was brushing an ad into place with the look of complete engagement only minimum wage could bring. As he rolled the new ad into place, the old one disappeared. Naruto looked into the eyes of the Confederate Officer demanding that Naruto sign up to fight the Union. He kept staring until the man's face was covered by the smiling face of 'Princess Gale.' Naruto rolled his eyes and kept walking, a glower now stuck on his face. He passed a burger cart with a sun-baked man peddling on the sidewalk. The little price board listed the cheapest price at 14 Auro! Naruto stared, mouth open, at the man behind the cart. He only got a flat look in return, the man didn't even move the electric fan from under his double-chin.

Naruto looked between the price and the man, his expression never changing. The man's expression never faltered. Finally, Naruto sighed and he walked on. The man glared at his back but returned to studying the street.

As the tram platform came into view, Naruto stopped and slapped himself on the cheeks. He looked back up with a smile on his face and took a deep breath. A trio of attractive girls walked past and giggled. A blond, brunette and a redhead oh my. Naruto stopped and stared at the train rail then at the backs of the girls. The redhead looked back at him and smiled. Naruto beamed right back and jogged to catch up, "Excuse me ladies!"

XXX

The SHINOBI's foot locked into the catapult shuttle latch. With both feet planted, the machine bent its knees and assumed the launch position. On the bridge, a console flashed green signaling the clasps had hold of the SHINOBI's feet. The cat-boss checked the console running his eyes over the list of green checkboxes and with a quick tap, authorized the next stage. Inside the SHINOBI's cockpit, the pilot stared at the back of the ugly cloth they had draped over her machine. Immune to the chatter echoing through her ears she kept running her hands over the cockpit. The keyboard across her lap, the console over her knees, behind her chair, she touched almost everything and for everything she brushed her hands over another box would be checked off from the list on her right. Once the list was completed, the pilot tapped her enter key and the list closed. With that gone, her three monitors displayed the outside in perfect clarity.

She cracked her knuckles and stashed the keyboard on the side of the chair.

**_1440Z, 7 December, 113-EC_**

**_URSV Brahe (SF-34)_**

**_Near Side-07, L3_**

"Hustler One," The radio cackled, "All checks read complete. Increasing linear ESLS voltage. Special Launch protocols activated. Count will commence on your mark. Confirm, Over."

"Hustler One. All checks complete. Roger," She put her hand on the throttle control. She shook her head and instantly moved her hand to clutch the arm itself. A dedicated window was open on her left screen that displayed a close up of the launch board.

The catapult lights; a vertical stack of three red lights, a yellow light and green light; started blinking. Red, red, red…

"Commandant Tayuya Wahlgren, Launching," she murmured.

Yellow.

Green.

The Commandant dug her fingers into the control arms of her seat and endured the g-forces. Even then, the force fixed her posture and glued her to the seat. Her crimson SHINOBI was thrown into the void of space without the use of her own thrusters. An even more difficult task given the extra weight she was burdened with: a massive "backpack" of fuel and conventional thrusters. Immediately, the floor of the catapult opened and another SHINOBI came up the lift. Free of the Brahe, she adjusted her heading, firing off small boosts of fuel from the backpack to correct her SHINOBI's course. Superimposed over her power reading meter was a new gauge that read, 'fuel pack levels.' Every time she made a minute correction the gauge would deplete slightly. Tayuya continued to twist her SHINOBI through the motions so that it was headed on the correct course.

Most of the fuel was burnt off simply navigating around the asteroid the Brahe had anchored to. Behind her, the Brahe and another Special Frigate, the Khwarizmi, continued to launch SHINOBI. The next SHINOBI already had its feet in the catapult shuttles by the time it faded behind the curvature of the asteroid. Commandant Wahlgren looked over her shoulder, through the power of her special flight mask, she was able to see just how close she was to the side of the rough surface.

After her SHINOBI was on the correct heading, she leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. Her cameras were useless behind the 'optical camouflage,' a piece of fabric really, in front of her. Not that space offered much of a view. Besides Hustler One, other SHINOBI formed up behind her own. In the cold void of space they looked like nothing more than asteroids. From the front. Where their 'optical camouflage' was the most useful they were simply asteroids; from any other angle they were a squadron of Union forces through and through.

In the distance the New Konoha Colonies loomed.

XXX

"Colonel Umino, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

Iruka smiled back at the man's forced smile and narrowed eyes. Iruka offered up a gift of appeasement, "I brought donuts."

The man's eyes lit up slightly as he took the box of pastries out of Iruka's hands. Iruka turned to face the rest of the room. The entire room had turned to face the two men at the mere mention. Iruka's smile faltered into something more restrained. In the pit of computers, starved hungry eyes watched the boxes of donuts very carefully. Once they were passed off to a delighted man in a coffee-stained tie, Iruka got a much nicer, but still sarcastic, smile from the first man, "I almost think I won't like this."

Iruka smiled back, "Perhaps we should speak somewhere with more… privacy."

He was shown to the backlit shudders that provided the only white light in the entire dark auditorium size room.

**_1645Z, 7 December, 113 E.C._**

**_New Konoha Dock Control_**

**_New Konoha Colony II, Side-07, L3_**

The door clicked shut and Iruka gave the Manager a piece of paper before he could even sit down. Iruka pulled back the rigid guest chair as the man read. His hand came out, "Don't sit."

Iruka sighed and put his hands on the plastic backrest as the man continued to scan the memo. The light above hummed annoyingly and made the man's bald spot shine, Iruka tried to move his eyes away but the shine kept drawing his gaze back. Finally, the man put it down and glared at him, "You're shutting down my port tonight?"

Iruka rubbed the scar across his nose, "Not the entire port. We just need a no-fly zone declared on the stern of the colony."

"The stern of the colony, half of my dock facilities. How are we supposed to keep up with all of the flights coming in?"

"It won't be safe with all of the Yin radiation. Also, please remember that secrecy is of the utmost importance with this project," Iruka used his best calming voice.

The man's glare only increased. He slammed the cheap desk rattling his picture frames and knick-knacks. Iruka glared at the small model of a shuttle liner as it vibrated precariously close to the edge. The Manager started his tirade, "Why is the military even here! Surely, there is somewhere better for this!"

Iruka sighed and adjusted his grip on his suitcase, "Our Lunar testing grounds have been compromised by the War, Side-07 is…"

The Manager cut him off, "Argh, I don't want to hear it!"

Iruka sighed and took a deep breath. His voice returned much louder, "I will remind you that I am a Colonel in the Confederate Space Forces." The Manager's indignant glare fell away. Iruka continued in his command voice, "I came here as a courtesy but if you continue, I will have you ordered to comply."

The Manager glared but didn't say another word. They stared at each other for a solid minute until finally the phone rang. The Manager glared at the phone, "I'll have those docks cleared by the deadline."

"And the sector will be clear?"

The phone continued to ring as the Manager grit his teeth, "With warnings broadcasting on all approaches. Is that all?"

Iruka nodded graciously and moved towards the door, "Thank you for your cooperation."

The Manager waved him away and ripped the phone off the receiver, "What!"

Iruka let the man work and stepped outside. He looked over the rest of the men and women working. The massive screens overlooking the auditorium of computer stations provided most of the light, making the room glow blue. It was painfully obvious that most of the worker's had heard his outburst. If only by how engrossed they were in there screens. He spotted the boxes of donuts already crammed in the same trashcan. He rolled his eyes and took a deep breath.

His own phone began ringing, Iruka dug it out of his jacket, "Hello."

_"Umino! Where are you?"_

Iruka sighed, "Delivering a memo to Dock Control."

_"You didn't mail it?"_

"No."

_"Why? Never mind. The representative from the White Corporation is here."_

Iruka rubbed the scar on his nose, "He wasn't due for another day."

The man on the other end snorted, _"Preaching to the choir. We need you back here ASAP. The Professor is about to snap."_

"Yeah, I'm coming back." He ended the call.

Iruka moved to the door as silently as he could in dress shoes. Suddenly, the entire room went red. A loud warning sounded and Iruka stopped himself from leaving. The room came alive with activity. Chairs rolled across the bare concrete, fists slammed tables rattling computers, and the previously murmuring people started screaming. "Exceptionally Large objects detected! Reading at least 15 signatures!"

"8'o clock. 45 degrees low. Collision in ten minutes," another reported.

The Manager emerged with a loud bang, "What's the problem!"

The main screen shifted from a technical readout to a camera. It panned around the void futilely before finding the asteroids. Iruka narrowed his eyes and walked back towards the people. The Manager clicked his tongue, "Where are they going to hit?"

"Uh… Both cylinders will take damage. Cylinder 1 at section B and 2, Cylinder 2 at 3 and A."

The Manager gripped the railing separating the walkway from the pit, "Damage?"

"Still calculating."

Iruka stared at the camera screen. His brow was furrowed but then he would shake his head and stop squinting his eyes before repeating the entire process. The Manager jerked his head at him, "Why are you still here?"

Iruka shook his head clear, "Um, I." He took a deep breath, "Are they emitting any heat?"

The Manager scoffed, "They're asteroids. This isn't a military…"

One of the workers cut off the Manager before he could really begin, "Faint, sir. More than the background."

Iruka locked eyes with the Manager, who looked slightly perplexed, they both turned to face the main monitors. The Manager took the lead, "Any chakra particles?"

"No interference yet, sir."

Iruka stared at the screen again then opened his phone again. It rang once before the computer generated voice answered. Iruka gave it no time, "Connect me to the Defense Commander, Authorization Code: 0-1-1-8-5-0, Colonel Umino… 8'o clock 45 degrees low of the bow… Yes."

The Manager gave Iruka one glance before turning back his department, "Issue warnings to all docked ships, possible enemy activity. Use the hardline connections."

Iruka ended his call and waited. The people in the control center waited anxiously, only a few of them had to make calls. A quick stream of particle weapons fire swiped across the screen, it didn't hit a single asteroid. Iruka groaned.

Suddenly, the lead asteroid blasted forwards.

"Heat levels spiked! All Objects' speeds are increasing!"

"Yin levels rising! We've lost radar."

"The lead object is pulling ahead. It's three times faster than the others!"

The camera struggled to find the lead object, over shooting and then over compensating multiple times until it found the right speed. More particle fire ripped the screen and the camera lost the asteroid over and over as the asteroid evaded every shot in clear violation of common sense. The frequency of errors only increased as the lead object got closer. The asteroid was soon literally ripped in half and a red SHINOBI became clear.

"Enemy attack! Activate emergency systems!"

Iruka pulled out his phone and walked towards the door as the room erupted into chaos.

"Mizuki?" Iruka asked the phone.

_"Yeah?"_

"Prep the Shunshin."

_"What? Why?" _The alarm klaxon made Iruka blink then the klaxon echoed from the phone, _"Right. See you soon, brother."_

Iruka hung up and started jogging down the stairwell.

XXX

"They made us!"

Commandant Wahlgren sighed and clicked her comm channel, "Very astute Freeman. Keep an eye on the timer everyone."

She tapped the side of her mask and the camera stopped feeding directly to her lenses. Free to look at her own cockpit, she hit the 'enter' key on her keyboard and flipped the device out of her way. The right monitor displayed a red timer that immediately started counting down from an hour. In every other cockpit the same display came up automatically, overridden by the Commandant's executive command. Tayuya tapped the side of her mask again and the vision of the outside world returned.

"Commence Operation."

Tayuya's SHINOBI fired off a long burn of the backpack and detached its backpack of fuel. More beam fire erupted from the colony. She grit her teeth at the alarm in her cockpit and made several erratic dodges. Thrown around the cockpit, she fought to keep her breathing even and clicked the sequence of buttons to draw her beam tomahawk. With a quick slash the camouflage sheet was cut away and the looming vision of Konoha II filled her vision. Another stream of beam fire raked over her. She grinned, the bursts of energy were nowhere near her. Behind her the chatter of the radios continued to fight the Chakra interference. Chattering that barely concerned her continued until finally the combined might of the Meridian Reactors saturated space with Chakra Particles.

The Commandant clicked her comms channel, "Check?"

The only return was the cackling of chakra interference. The Commandant smiled, "пизда́тый"

**_1647Z, 7 December, 113 E.C._**

**_New Konoha Colony II, Side-07, L3_**

Another burst of fire crossed under her, Tayuya boosted over the line of fire and leveled her rifle at the source of the cannon fire. Darting around the particle fire out of instinct, her targeting computer filled her view with a red targeting reticle that fluttered towards the origin of the blasts. With the power of the mask tracking her eye movements, the targeting reticule found the turret easily. Tayuya got a close up of the turret sticking out of the side of the port.

"Die fucker!" She pulled the trigger and a three round burst of yellow particle fire destroyed the turret.

Another turret let loose some more particle fire. Boosting to the left, the fire missed by ever increasing distances as the SHINOBI twisted and turned. The G-forces slammed her around the cockpit disrupting her breathing as the suit tightened to keep the blood in her head or some other extremity. She pressed the throttle even harder and used her feet to keep the SHINOBI twisting and turning as even more turrets came online and joined the fight.

Through it all, her vision never wavered and she kept tracking the increasing number. All it took was keeping her eyes on the general direction of the turret and her aim was true. Three more turrets were ravaged before she passed the inside of their targeting radii. Clutching the side of the colony she went on a search and destroy mission. Slamming past the endless struts she followed the particle fire still firing towards her squad. She popped up and destroyed two more before ducking down under their range again.

The rest of the formation continued to shoot forward under the aegis of her protection. Even as the exterior of the colony flashed past her vision, the smile never left her face. A stream of particle fire erupted in front of her. Two shots and the turret burst into a blue sphere that immediately stopped once the oxygen was burnt through. She popped back up and scanned the side of the colony. Tayuya glanced back over her shoulder and the computer calculated the distance, the formation finally reached engagement range.

She refocused on the side of the colony and pulled the trigger. The three round burst cut through even the thick glass melting and peeling the layers back. The inside of the colony ripped inside out as air shot out into space. She fired her thrusters and burst through into the colony. Gravity came rushing back slamming her into the seat. Shady looking hotels flew past her vision as the SHINOBI kept its momentum. She finally pulled the throttle back and escaped back into the lack of gravity in the center of the colony. The crimson SHINOBI hovered above the colony and started searching for a target. She rotated the SHINOBI around, scanning the entire surface below her. Small zoom windows popped up on her vision highlighting the stunned pedestrians. She spent a moment simply scanning the colony itself and the sheer amount of luxury that was present here.

Her jaw tightened the more she saw of the designer shops and the artificial beaches.

"These greedy bastards." She focused on a tram line and fired. It was a pointless action, there was no train anywhere near the blast sight. "Time?"

The timer was overlaid on her vision in a faint red, '0:57:37.159.' She growled again and blasted off deeper into the colony. Ducking low, she pushed the throttle to the limit again. Electric cars screeched to a stop as the SHINOBI barreled over them. Shocked faces registered on her cameras in little windows. Bikini clad women screaming as their hair ate their heads, shocked motel patrons holding onto rails for dear life. She took shots at every empty car, obliterating them.

Tayuya pulled up and pressed the pedals to rotate her SHINOBI once she was in the safety of gravity pocket. The destroyed street she left in her wake didn't have a single window intact, the road was pock marked by the skeletons of cars and glassed asphalt. She looked over the wreckage with a narrowed eyes, "Where the fuck are those fuckers? I want a real fucking challenge you cocksuckers!"

The alarm klaxons below started blaring but no one was moving yet. She glanced over at the fake beach front and a zoom window full of three slack-jawed Bimbos stared up at her. Not even having a beam rifle aimed at them warranted anything more than open mouthed gawking or even compelled them to move. Tayuya sighed and pulled the trigger, a three round burst of yellow fire hit the ocean water. A tidal wave tried to start only for it to be choked back into the new hole in the side of the colony. The negative pressure of space sucked up the saltwater, draining the shoreline like low tide then the votrex turned the placid beach into a raging sandstorm. The Bimbos hit the dirt, clawing at the fake sand for a hold. Tayuya moved her gaze, closing the zoom window, and blasted off deeper into the colony.

The streets below turned from asphalt into a fancy cobblestone and the hotels morphed into short marble buildings with open displays. She gaped and studied the windows closely. They were full of designer dresses and endless rows of shoes. The Commandant smiled and brought her SHINOBI down low. The goliath landed on a palm tree snapping it like a twig. Several woman scrambled behind cars or simply fell to the ground as their high heels failed them. Maniac grin never leaving, she targeted store front full of pimped out mannequins and fired.

The beam melted through the glass and seared the inside of the store.

"Time to fucking burn you greedy bitches!"

XXX

Naruto rounded the home stretch and kicked it into high gear. He still had a couple hundred meters to the hotel but the remaining distance would evaporate at his new pace. The faint laughter of the girls from last night flashed in his head. He put a little more force into his gate. Above him, the reflection of the sun started to disappear as the mirror above him rotated its mirrors. The street lights switched on providing a trace amount of light to replace the natural light lost. Naruto focused on the sidewalk in front of him and bolted past a couple of slower joggers. He could see his hotel's pool start to peek out from the long line of cheap motels.

A car panel, jump.

Naruto vaulted the hood of the electric car in one clean motion and kept running. Naruto kept his eyes forward as the family gaped at his back. Nobody was in his way for the remaining distance of the run. His breathing started to get more labored, he moved his eyes to the panel of the cylinder to his right. The ocean hovered along with a Ferris wheel that kept turning against all logic. The ground started to turn under him; his head began to rotate with the small turn of the cylinder. Naruto swallowed forcefully. Head still spinning, he stopped running and immediately stared at the concrete under his feet. His hand came out as he stumbled and then, finally, he stopped swaying.

He returned a tired gaze at the motel across the street and took a deep breath. Naruto's eyes twitched at a sudden movement behind the glass. Against the black backdrop of space, a streak of light hit the glass. The glass melted away and with it, the calm of the colony. He stepped with the new gale of air and braced himself as the wind screeched past him. A crimson blur shot through the gaping hole and shot off into the colony.

**_1648Z, 7 December, 113 E.C._**

**_New Konoha Colony II, Side-07, L3_**

Naruto pulled his earphones out of his ear and watched the SHINOBI land further down the colony. The alarm klaxon started blaring all around him. Naruto stood completely still and watched the confused people begin to filter out of hotel rooms. Green arrows appeared on the road beside him, the street sign further down the road updated. 'Green arrows lead to nearest shelter. Please evacuate.'

Naruto looked up at the balconies above and stared into the confused eyes of a small child. He swore and sucked in a deep breath, "Yo! This is not a drill! We are being attacked! Get to the shelters!"

His voice came out as a commanding bellow, most of the people on the balconies continued to stare at him. A few enterprising adults started mumbling to each other and glaring. A woman on the second floor grabbed the railing and shouted back, "And where is that?"

Naruto sucked in another breath but then stopped, lips pursed and eyebrow furrowed. He ran towards the front office, bouncing off the freshly painted fence and into the wide open front office. A silent room greeted him, nobody was manning the desk besides the bobbing head of a toy flower. A new trap door was pulled out of the carpet; it wasn't very large, about the size of a bulkhead on a ship. It led down a flight of metal stairs into a faintly illuminated path. Shelter was emblazoned in a variety of languages on the hatch.

Naruto ran back outside and waved the people towards the main office, "Yo! In here!"

By this time, the more prepared guests were shuffling towards him with little white pamphlets still clutched in their hands. Naruto nodded his head and sprinted out of the hotel courtyard towards the next building down. With explosions just starting to boom in the distance, Naruto kept running towards it and reminding people where their shelter entrances where. Every time he preached to a new group of people his voice became more strained, the warnings a little more rehearsed. His eyes drifted up to the other panes of the colony where much larger and grander hotels stuck out of the colony.

Naruto continued on past several motels until finally the rest of the street was completely devoid of life. A section of beach opened up to his right and the shadier motels became a small park that doubled as a beach access. Naruto passed a store front and slowed down. The rest of the street would be nothing but shops and attractions. The street was abandoned, he turned back to the motels then back to the deserted storefronts.

"Attention! All civilians are to report to the substructure. Please follow the instructions as outlined by your hotel or company." An IFV ramped off the sand dune and bounced across park narrowly avoiding the park benches and the glass kiosk. It rolled down the street and stopped in front of him. A loud speaker cracked, "Civilian, get to a shelter! There should be one in that store."

"My name is Lieutenant Namikaze, 501st SHINOBI division, 12th Brigade! I can help!" Naruto screamed back at the IFV. He reached into his shorts but then stopped when he found his lack of pockets.

"Get to the shelters! We don't need heroes!"

A streak of fire slammed the street. Naruto stumbled back as the IFV threw itself into reverse and the third particle shot hit just short of the IFV. A SHINOBI roared past then turned to aim its rifle again. Naruto braced himself against the continuing whine of the SHINOBI's boosters and the torrent of air that it whipped up. Naruto got his first good look at the gas mask mouth, single eye and stahlhelm of the forest green SHINOBI. The words escaped his mouth while he gaped.

"Geara Zulu"

The IFV wasted no time and opened fire with its own gun. Naruto turned away and clutched at his ears.

Ears ringing, he stumbled into the store under the rattling of the metal gate. The IFV's fire strafed across the Geara Zulu's chest plate but didn't do an exceptional amount of damage. Even less so when the Geara Zulu jerked to the left and dodged most of the fire. The SHINOBI fired its own weapon from high in the clouds, numerous bolts of yellow lightning snaked up the street. The IFV dropped its fire and blew out the top of a store front. Particle fire cut the street in two, barely missing the back of the vehicle when it ducked into a store across the street. Naruto stumbled against the glass counter and stepped over toppled racks. The sleet storm sound of the shaking gate made the entire scene more chaotic.

Naruto backed up against the wall and clutched at his ears. Nothing was audible over the ringing not even his own experimental scream.

The Geara Zulu circled in the sky above as the IFV and Naruto both waited. Naruto waited against the counter under the roar of the engine and the rattling of the gate. He kept his eyes following the sound even though he was hiding under the roof of the shop. The SHINOBI skidded to a halt at the end of the street. The sleet storm intensified with every step the SINOBI made walking down the street. Naruto moved around the glass counter, ignoring the knick-knacks and glass shards under his feet. The SHINOBI's massive green foot landed outside the store front obliterating the road and leaving a trail of footsteps in its wake.

The IFV pulled back out of its hiding spot slinging rubble off its hood. Another stream of fire cut across the SHINOBI's back and destroyed one of its boosters. The SHINOBI still managed to engage enough power to twist in mid-air and counter-attack. The force of its boosters threw up chunks of asphalt, glass and merchandise that pelted the counter above Naruto's head. The IFV lurched forward, bouncing off the busted road and closing the distance. The particle fire melted even more of the street.

The kinetic rounds of the IFV simply couldn't pierce the chest plate armor. A yellow beam hit the road next to the IFV's tire. Jerked to the right, the IFV's fire slammed the beam rifle and saved it from certain destruction. The IFV pressed its advantage zooming forward. Ramping the SHINOBI's foot, the IFV aimed its cannon up the armored skirt. A quick boost of power pelted Naruto with more rubble as the IFV fired.

The Geara Zulu's skirt plate blew off. The SHINOBI collapsed to one knee and the IFV fought to gain traction and finally launched off the SHINOBI's foot. On the ground, the IFV pulled back still firing. A stream of yellow particle fire hit the IFV in the front wheel and obliterated it. The vehicle limped back and slammed into a light post unable to steer without a front wheel assembly. The IFV still fired a desperate volley and savaged the Geara Zulu's beam rifle again. The Geara Zulu fired off its boosters and limped forward dragging its right leg on the ground. The beam rifle was dropped to the ground and it drew its beam tomahawk.

The IFV struggled against the light pole but the vehicle was stuck. It fired off its only missile that flew off target and into the sky of the colony. The Geara Zulu cut off its booster's and fell on the IFV, cutting it in half with its beam Tomahawk. Naruto skulked over to the edge of the store and stole a glance down the street. The SHINOBI used its arms to push up and blasted down the street. It only hopped a short distance before it crashed back to the pavement. Crashing against the asphalt, the SHINOBI barely dug its finger into the ground before the pilot fired the boosters again and finally got enough air to right the machine.

Only to collapse onto the roof of another building.

The SHINOBI fought to pull itself out of the collapsed rubble but fell back in. Looking as though it was slouching in a chair, the SHINOBI sat there for several seconds. Another chorus of boosters joined the cacophony as another Geara Zulu skidded to stop next to the collapsed one. Naruto braced against the sudden blast of air and huddled against the wall as more rubble pelted the shop. The new SHINOBI reached down and grabbed the other machine's arm. The two machines simply stood frozen in mid motion. Naruto gazed around the corner one more time watching the two machines. Both machines opened their cockpits at the same time and the crashed pilot evacuated his machine.

Naruto's eyes widened, he kicked off the wall and started running at a full sprint. Behind him, the second Geara Zulu let the pilot into his machine and lifted off. The machine flew over him towards the massive hole in the side of the colony. Naruto kept running until he got to the farthest corner and threw himself around it. Hitting the concrete, he huddled up and clutched at his head.

And nothing happened.

So he waited.

And waited.

Naruto poked his head out from under his hands and looked around the deserted street. Hesitantly, he leaned around the corner of the building and stared at the wreckage of the SHINOBI and the IFV. BOOM!

The SHINOBI exploded, Naruto clenched his eyes shut and braced himself. But nothing moved and only a gust of wind blew past him. Naruto opened one eye and got a better look at the SHINOBI, the machine was now limbless with only its head still on its torso. Naruto let out a breath of relief and put his hand over his heart. Recovered, he ran forward and checked on the IFV. Still collapsed on the light post, the vehicle was bisected cleanly, with the deactivated beam-tomahawk still crushing the twisted metal frame.

The machine had been sheared through cleanly with the engine still leaking oil off of its pistons. A badly burned corpse was posed in the driver's seat missing its left arm. Naruto pulled his shirt over his nose and stepped over the handle of the beam tomahawk. The inside of the vehicle had been completely charred black without anything recognizable within. The SHINOBI was still sitting in the collapsed roof of the building, its arms blown off onto other buildings and its legs crushing shop displays under it. The mono-eye stared at the wreckage of the IFV with its chest still open.

A flash of movement in the back of the IFV caught his eyes.

"Hey!" he yelled, "Are you alive?"

He ran around the wreckage, still fresh from at least the outside, and found another body slumped out of the IFV. Skin was missing from his back, only charred, cracked, flesh and the yellow bones of his back remained. Fortunately, the man's hands were still recognizable as flesh however, smooth and pink it might be. Crawling like a worm, the man pulled himself away from the wreckage with his only hand. Naruto ran up but stopped short, his hands splayed out, frozen in mid-motion.

"Um," he gaped.

The man twisted his head and stared up at him. White eyes barely lucid, ears burned away, the man face was barely intact. Still the half-dead soldier glared at Naruto's feet. Naruto bounced foot to foot and searched the street, "Um, um. Shit."

"Ha…" The burned man coughed then tried to laugh. He was cut short before he could do anything more than wheeze. "Kid. You a soldier?"

His speech was broken, raspy and took over a minute to complete. Naruto bent down to his level but still didn't touch him, he would lower his hands but then pull them back up. The man lowered his arm but then the motion ceased.

"Brief…" the man stopped short and sucked in more air, "…case" a coughing fit took over, "Under me."

"I, I…" The last words were spit out in a rush before he started coughing again. Naruto opened his mouth then closed it.

"Hur…!" the burned man couldn't even finish at that volume.

Naruto put his hands under the man's ribs and grimaced. Trepidation coloring his every move, he lifted the man's body and found the metal case stuck to his hand with a metal cord. The metal rope ended in the side of the man's pelvis. Still remarkably intact, the suitcase was only charred but not even dented. Naruto pulled it out slowly until the only part still under the man was the link melted into his body.

He stole a glance at the man's face and found his eyes closed and mouth hanging loosely open. Naruto sucked in a breath and yanked the end of the cord out. Pulling the briefcase closer, Naruto stared at the lock and sighed.

"Neck." Naruto's head jerked back to the man. His eyes were barely open but he was still alive. Naruto steadied his breathing and reached for the man's chest. The man's brown dress uniform was missing its neck piece and was melted into his sides. Naruto pulled his tie out of the way and popped open the buttons. Sure enough, a key was hanging there. He gave it a hard yank, dragging a grunt of pain out of the burned man and freeing the chain. Naruto gaped at the key with wide eyes and then to the man. Bits of flesh were still hanging on the melted end of the chain as Naruto opened the briefcase. He pulled out a manila folder with a unit patch on the front: a puff of smoke with the caption 'Now you see me…'

The only other thing in the briefcase was a small plastic box with a memory card inside of it. Flipping through the folder Naruto passed diagrams of boosters, a meridian reactor and finally a full SHINOBI. The caption read 'RX-9/MTD Shunshin.' He kept flipping through until he found a directory with a name and a number.

"Colonel Umino."

XXX

"Sitrep!" He yelled, adjusting his collar and snapping the top button closed.

He grabbed the railing and slung himself around and into the hard plastic of the seat. The dark room in front of him was only lit up by the bright screens of the computers. The constant tapping of keyboards filled the air like a hive of bees with staff running back and forth. The previous occupant of the chair swiped a tablet from one of the aides and then banished him back into the hive.

"20 minutes ago the colony was breeched by a flight of enemy SHINOBI. So far the only models we have seen are Geara Zulu Guards types, an upgraded version of the stock Geara Zulu the Union has been fielding to elite units. We have several reports that put the count at around 15. So far they have limited their attacks to infrastructure and various civilian targets. Casualties are remarkably light only about 200 reported at this time. Civilians are being evacuated to the sublevels of the colonies and towards the shelters. It's going exceptionally slowly. As for our response, most of the garrison was at minimal alert level, it's going to be ten more minutes before we can launch our own SHINOBI. The gendarmerie has begun combat operations but their forces are limited to IFVs and anti-personnel weapons. We have deployed the mechanized infantry battalion and they have moved to secure section C."

**_1708Z, 7 December, 113 E.C._**

**_New Konoha Colony II, Side-07, L3_**

The General rubbed his chin, "Umino's detachment?"

The Colonel nodded and paused, "We received a launch request we simply have to give the word."

He got another nod in return. Even as the room continued to hum with chaotic precision the Commander stayed silent and the attaché continued to wait for orders. Finally, the General looked up.

"Hold Umino in reserve. We'll rely on our conventional forces for now. Tell him to stay out of the fight for now. No need to risk a pet project."

The Colonel nodded and turned to begin relaying the General's instructions. One of the many screens caught a glimpse of a red SHINOBI. The General lifted his head off his chin and sat up a little more straight, "Pull up that screen!"

The room stopped and turned to him, The General flicked his hand at the screen that displayed the red SHINOBI and nearly pulled himself out of his seat, "Pull up the screen with that red SHINOBI!"

The screen was thrown over to the much larger central one. The General watched the SHINOBI decimate a shopping district but didn't say anything. Various operators around the room continued their busy schedule with only a couple of low level men watching the General. He kept his hands over his mouth and strained his eyes to watch the SHINOBI in action.

The room was denied a good view of the machine due to its erratic movements. Once the camera got a good look at the front plate of the SHINOBI however, The General's eyes widened and he pushed back into the chair. On the left collar of the machine was a long chain of symbols that the camera lacked enough resolution to catch. There was enough resolution to see just how far the symbols reached back and to see the most prominent one. The first symbol on the collar was a musical note.

"Deploy the three SHINOBI squadrons to that location!" The General proclaimed, throwing his arms wide and jumping out of his seat.

"Sir!" The colonel rounded on him, "that's half our SHINOBI forces! It's only one Geara Zulu!"

"If we can destroy that one Geara Zulu, we'll have killed one of the Union's top aces. You see that sound emblem on the front of that SHINOBI? That's for five time aces of the Union space forces! We kill him and we deal a bitter blow!"

"Should we deploy Umino after all?"

"No," the General's voice was much calmer now, he sat back down in his seat, "now we _really_ won't risk it."

XXX

Colonel Umino tapped his ID card against the reader. His foot never stopped tapping as the reader took its sweet time to work. When the door finally pulled back in a flash, Iruka was met with the impassive white eyes of a stern looking man in a suit. Iruka couldn't help but glare at the white sun pinned to the man's lapel. Iruka blinked as the man kept up his stare.

"Where were you?" the man asked.

Another explosion cracked somewhere in the distance rattling the glass of the building. Iruka glanced back at it before stepping forward. The man didn't move. Iruka stopped with one foot in the doorway, "I have many duties as the project's military attaché. Such as responding to attacks on the colony."

The man simply stepped back and let him through. Iruka nodded to him with a strained smile. The two of them then turned and started striding down the white hallway. White tile floors, white walls, the sun only made them glare even more. A massive window was on their right with a full view of the battle outside. A Geara Zulu could be seen in the distance firing its beam rifle at the ground. The two men gave it nothing more than a second glance.

The Hyuga finally spoke, "will you be deploying the Shunshin?"

Umino didn't look back at him as the hallway continued on, "As a last resort, I haven't received a report since the attack began so I cannot say how the battle is proceeding."

The Hyuga glanced out the window, "Apparently not well."

Iruka nodded to him, "It's only been twenty minutes since they pierced the colony. It takes time to marshal a military response."

The two of them stopped in front of an elevator, Iruka pressed the button and the two of them stood, arms crossed and leaning away from each other as they waited.

**_1719Z, 7 December, 113 E.C._**

**_New Konoha Colony II, Side-07, L3_**

The elevator had no markings around it and the two kept their poses in complete silence even as the Geara Zulu behind them continued to strafe and fire like a bee buzzing around their heads. Finally, the elevator dinged and the two of them came face to face with a man in a pilot's suit. His long hair hung around his shoulders and his helmet was in hand. The Shunshin unit patch was clearly painted on the side. Iruka glared at the inscription, 'Now you see me…'

Iruka nodded to him, "Mizuki."

The Hyuga looked over at Iruka, who only continued to glare forward. The man brushed a hair out of his face, "Iruka. We just got orders to sortie the Shunshin. All we need is your activation code and Colonel Kijima's."

Iruka nodded and got in the elevator with the Hyuga. Mizuki stepped back and leaned against the railing while Iruka and the Hyuga continued their previous posture. The Hyuga glared at the white walls of the elevator, "You are going to risk a 15 billion Auro research project?"

Mizuki bounced off the railing and stuck himself in between Iruka and the Hyuga, "If the Union captures The Shunshin then it won't matter will it?"

The Hyuga craned his neck to glare, "Of course you would be eager to fight. You are the primary test pilot. I am asking the Colonel if it wouldn't simply be wiser to evacuate The Shunshin while we have the chance."

Mizuki turned to Iruka with wide pleading eyes, "We can't leave these people to die. We have orders to sortie."

Iruka nodded and looked the Hyuga in the eyes, "We have orders and we will obey them."

"The Shunshin represents the pinnacle of maneuverability, every technological advancement has gone into this. It is the Dreadnaught of SHINOBI," The Hyuga's voice escaped into a higher octave. He cleared his throat and tugged at his tie.

Iruka rolled his eyes, "Don't be so dramatic. It's only a technology demonstrator."

The Hyuga stared forward examining himself in the faint reflection of the wall, "And a significant expense on the part of both the White Corporation and the Confederate military." He glanced over his shoulder at Mizuki, "At least you are piloting it and not a kid who we throw into a cockpit as a last resort."

Mizuki's eyes lit up.

"Was that an anime reference?" asked with a raised brow.

The Hyuga tugged at his tie again. The elevator stopped and the three of them all lifted off the ground slightly when the small pull of gravity ceased. Once the doors opened, the three of them all pushed themselves out and into the hanger. Mechanics all floated around a single SHINOBI like ants crawling over a feast.

As the three of them all floated in a pack towards the SHINOBI, Iruka's phone rang. The number wasn't in his contacts list. "Hello?"

"_Colonel Umino?_" the voice asked. Iruka crinkled his eyebrows and ignored the inquisitorial looks of the two beside him.

"Yes. Who is this? How did you get this number?"

"_My name is Naruto Namikaze, I'm a confederate lieutenant on vacation."_

"The…"

"_Yeah,_" Naruto answered abruptly. Iruka's expression soured but softened as Naruto continued his explanation. "_I have a memory card here related to the Shunshin. The man carrying it died in a SHINOBI attack and I recovered the briefcase. You were listed as the project head so I've called you."_

"He's dead?" His mouth dropped and Iruka went limp then suddenly he came back to life, "you have the activation codes!"

"What!" the Hyuga screamed and locked onto his arm, "Who has the activation codes? What the hell happened?"

The rest of the hanger slowed to a crawl as the Hyuga's voice echoed around the chamber. A few actually let their tools and computers float out of their grasps.

"We can't launch without that part of the OS." Mizuki's eyes were huge against his dilating pupils and his breathing was starting to come a bit hard.

"Where are you now?" Iruka shook them both off and rubbed his forehead staring up at the massive floodlights that kept the SHINOBI completely illuminated.

"_There's too much chakra interference, I'm using a payphone on… South Ocean Boulevard. There's a bunch of punky looking shops."_

Iruka rubbed the scar across his nose and pressed the phone to his collar, "South Ocean, South Ocean. Panel A, three fourths of the way towards the aft of the colony." He picked it up again, "Can you get to the cap you are closest too?"

_"Um, um, yeah."_

Iruka closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again his voice was more paternal.

"We're relying on you lieutenant."

_"Yes, sir."_

XXX

Naruto stopped at the edge of the colony and gazed up the side of the metal cylinder. The landscape of the colony simply ended with the bit of grass brushing up the monolithic steel. Breathing heavily, he leaned against the wall of the colony and stared at the droplets of sweat hit the briefcase in his hands.

"Namikaze?" came a voice from within the car tunnel beside him.

With a groan, he straightened his back and poked his head around the corner. A man in a grey mechanics suit was emerging from the depths of the car tunnel. The same unit patch, a puff of smoke, was on his chest; the mechanic walked up and stuck his hand out to welcome him. Naruto gave his hand a firm shake, keeping the briefcase firmly in his hands and firmly behind his back. An explosion popped in the distance. Naruto whipped around to see a Geara Zulu flying towards them. His eyes widened while the mechanic didn't spare it a second glance.

"We should probably come inside, yes?" the mechanic asked.

Naruto nodded and followed the man further into the tunnel. Instead of bright white lights, the tunnel was draped in an eerie red glow coming from the floors. The mechanic strode forward with his hands in his pockets while Naruto followed, still heaving from exertion. A few electric trucks were pulled over to the side leaving the way clear but they're open doors and their loud static blaring radios added to the creepiness.

"BOO!"

Naruto jerked his head away from the car. The mechanic laughed and pressed the button to open the elevator. Still chuckling, he held the elevator open as the younger man glared.

"That wasn't funny," Naruto said as he stepped into the elevator, the glare never leaving his face.

"I found it mildly amusing," the mechanic quipped as the doors closed.

**_1746Z, 7 December, 113 E.C._**

**_New Konoha Colony II, Side-07, L3_**

The elevator doors dinged and Naruto was immediately face to face with a very angry stare on the part of a suited man. The Hyuga's white eyes drilled into him and stuck a hand out. Naruto stared at it even as the man jabbed it further into the elevator. "Hand it here!"

Naruto grabbed onto the railing inside the elevator to steady himself and glanced at the mechanic for support. He was offered none as the man's mustache shifted on his upper lip in an annoyed expression.

"Are you Colonel Umino?" Naruto asked.

"No," The Hyuga's face reddened slightly, "I represent the White Corporation. That is our property!"

"Oh, yeah, "Naruto gazed up at the ceiling, "The White Sun thing right?"

"Yes!" The Hyuga seethed and pointed to the small emblem on his lapel.

Naruto placed the box on his hand and grabbed the railing again before he floated off. The Hyuga popped open the box then kicked off deeper into the hanger. Naruto poked his head out but the mechanic pushed past him before he could escape the elevator.

"No access beyond this point, kid."

Naruto huffed and crossed his arms, allowing himself to float back into the elevator. No sooner had he backed away from the doors was another man worming his way in. He had a scar across his nose but Naruto focused on his Colonel rank and ribbons first and straightened out.

"Sir."

"Lieutenant Namikaze," The Colonel swung into the elevator and grabbed onto the railing, he held out a handshake, "Nice to meet you."

They shook hands and Naruto held the briefcase out for him. Iruka waved him away and kicked out of the elevator.

"Come with me please."

Naruto kicked out as well and stared in subdued wonder at the sheer size of the hanger. His eyes immediately found the centerpiece of the room, the SHINOBI that was still restrained in the scaffolding. The Hyuga from earlier was bent over a small gathering of mechanics while the pilot sat in the cockpit and typed incessantly on a keyboard. The entire SHINOBI was painting in a gaudy blend of white, yellow, red and blue. Naruto's nose crinkled. Iruka whistled, drawing his attention back.

"Lieutenant, we have a bit of a problem. You weren't supposed to see any of that, let alone the schematics."

They were floating towards the back wall of the hanger where a few offices were located. Naruto rolled his eyes, "So I'm gonna get locked into an office?"

"I'll be in there with you," Iruka laughed.

"Curious about my name?"

"Be lying if I said I wasn't," Iruka responded and swung into the office. Naruto blinked at the sudden light and glided over to the table. He put the briefcase down as Iruka checked the coffee machine. He sloshed the brown liquid around the pot and took a sniff. He immediately recoiled and put the coffee back. Naruto caught the water battle he threw at him from the fridge and sucked it down in one shot. Iruka floated over to the table with two more bottles and gave Naruto another.

"So what do you do in the military," Iruka asked conversationally.

"Ha," Naruto laughed and pointed at the SHINOBI still visible through the blinds, "I just finished flight school at Side-05. I'm on vacation."

Iruka nodded.

"Any relation to…"

"Grandfather," Naruto nodded with his answer, "both parents died too."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Me too." Naruto looked away and crossed his arms. Iruka sighed and looked away too. The silence deafened the room for a few more moments until Iruka brought out a computer and slid it over to Naruto.

"We need you to read and sign this, it's pretty standard security stuff but you should read all of it or it could have adverse effects on your career."

Naruto gave the wall of text a withering look then sighed.

"Iruka! W…" Mizuki screamed and pushed his way into the office with a bang, the two occupants escaped from their awkward silence and stared him down. Still floating in the doorway, Mizuki's speech was cut short when a massive explosion rocked the entire room. The computer screen immediately collapsed into a blue screen then shut down. Mizuki looked up just in time for a shaft of metal to slam onto his head. He disappeared from the door in a terrified crunch. Iruka and Naruto both pushed off their seats and propelled themselves to the lip of the door.

Iruka looked down and saw Mizuki pinned to the metal struts below. A piece of metal was speared through his leg and the blood was floating around the wound. Naruto looked up into the mono-eye of a SHINOBI as it towered scanned the inside of the hanger. As the different gears turned and the eye swept over the giant room, a hand pulled away the twisted metal and wormed its way into the hanger. Naruto pushed himself through the door as Iruka dropped down to reach Mizuki. The test pilot was clutching at his leg, banging his head against the wall and repeatedly screaming, 'no.' Iruka landed on the strut he was pinned to and put pressure on his femoral artery. The blood had formed a dome around the wound until it would get too large then it fragmented into little spheres that floated away.

Mizuki whacked his head against the steel wall, "No, no, no, no, no, no! Fuck!"

Iruka glanced around for any help and only found a room in chaos. The mechanics were scattering as the enemy SHINOBI poked its head into the hole it had formed. The steel held and the SHINOBI stopped in its assault. It didn't calm the escaping mechanics, who were still pushing for the escape roots. In the center of it all, Naruto was floating towards the Shunshin!

Iruka glanced up at the empty hole and then down at Mizuki. The pilot's wide open eyes were locked on Naruto's back. "Stop Him!"

His leg shifted agitating his wound and stopping Mizuki's scream short. Iruka let go of Mizuki's leg and kicked off after Naruto. Mizuki replaced Iruka's grip and glared at the two. He gritted his teeth, hung his head, and clenched his jaw, "No, no, no!"

Naruto landed on the scaffolding in front of the Shunshin and threw himself into the cockpit. He scanned the cockpit with an appraising eye then nodded his head. The cockpit was a complete sphere with screens lining the entire sphere. Without wasting a beat, he pulled the keyboard from under the seat and started typing. Iruka landed right after him.

"Namikaze get of the suit!"

"There is an enemy attacking. This is the only SHINOBI nearby," Naruto never looked up from his keyboard. Next to Iruka's head a screen came alive and displayed a checklist that Naruto dutifully started obeying.

Iruka glanced at the list but returned to glaring, "I will be forced to court-marshal you!"

Naruto's fingers stopped typing and he looked Iruka in the eyes. Behind them, the Geara Zulu put its rifle through the gash in the wall filling the air with the screech of metal rubbing against metal. Iruka broke their glare and stared aghast at the beam rifle now aiming into the hanger. The gun sight wouldn't fit into the hole. The Garea Zulu pulled the rifle out. Iruka turned his head back to Naruto and looked down.

"How did you do in flight school?"

Naruto stopped typing and rubbed the back of his head, "Technically last but that…"

Iruka mouth dropped, then the back of the hanger wall was melted through by particle fire. He glanced back then punched the side of the machine and closed the cockpit on Naruto. Iruka kicked off the scaffolding, as the beam rifle fired. The yellow particle hit the metal walkway right over the cockpit. Peeling away like a plastic to a flame, the metal took the brunt of the blast and the Shunshin remained untouched except for some cosmetic damage. Iruka was not as lucky, the heat of the particles burned through his uniform and left his back exposed and pink.

He floated forward, eyes closed, arms and legs thrown open. Inside the cockpit, Naruto held onto the arms of the seat bracing against the vibrations of the assault fire. The list on the side of the cockpit closed and the screens came alive with a panorama of the hanger.

"Emergency start protocols activated," came the soothing voice of an electronic female.

'RX-9/MTD Shunshin' appeared on the screen then disappeared in a puff of smoke. He pulled the straps over his shoulders and clasped them to the belt between his legs. In front of him the still white hot steel was burning. Naruto grabbed the controls in front of him and pushed the throttle forward. The HSINOBI lurched forward in its restraints and busted through the metal work around it. The mono-eye of the Geara Zulu peered through the hole at the new enemy as the debris of the hanger floated around it.

Inside the cockpit Naruto checked his clearances and experimented with the throttle. The red eye of the Geara Zulu was as clear as his own vision through the screens of the cockpit. Tiny spurts of fire puffed from the engines like a boxer bouncing back and forth in the ring.

A grin split Naruto's face as the machine moved around and all of the controls responded to his every slight nudge, "Just like the Jegan. Naruto Namikaze! RX-9 Shunshin launching!"

XXXXX

- Thongs are what Aussies call flip-flops. Yeah, I don't get either.

_- _пизда́тыйcan be translated as 'very good' or 'awesome;' literally it means 'pussy-like'. Sorta. I don't speak Russian and мат is practically indecipherable to anyone who isn't a native speaker. However, I'll keep using it because I thinks it's funny. Any help from a native speaker would be appreciated.

-the only hint you get to the meaning of SHINOBI is: British swimwear


End file.
